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Saturday, February 7, 2015

Dollar Bin Horror Spotlight - The Grand Hotel by Scott Kenemore

When a desk clerk welcomes a group of tourists into his mysterious and crumbling hotel, the last thing he expects is that a lone girl on his tour may hold the power to unravel the hidden mystery that has lain for untold centuries within the structure’s walls...

Scott Kenemore is know for his badass zombie literature. He's taught us how to be Zen like a zombie in The Zen of Zombie: Better Living Through the Undead, He taught us how to be as savvy in the workforce as the undead in Z.E.O.: How to Get A(Head) in Business, and he even taught us how to fight like a walker in The Art of Zombie Warfare. But this time, Scott has veered in a new direction and is taking us on a tour of The Grand Hotel, where the residents each have a story to tell, and one red-headed girl holds the key to it all.

The story it not just one tale, but a compilation of 11 stories from the various residents of the hotel. The book is narrated by the hotel's desk clerk, who is giving a grand tour to a group of tourists. He makes stops along the way to visit the hotel's permanent residents. Each recalls there own back story to the tour group, and there's something for everyone in this book! Do you like ghosts AND cooking? Well you'll love it when you get to "Chef Dunnally" (each section of the book is named after the resident telling their story...so it's easy to keep up!). Or what about a corpse who pays his rent on time (unlike some of you folks who are still living?) Well then the first twisted tale is just for you in "Mister Pence". And of course, being that I love my doll collection, my favorite character was "Ms. Kvasov"...who's story wasn't my favorite overall, but the character herself had a hobby after my own heart...a room full of life-sized and life-like mannequins to dance with! Her actually story is a bit darker than her personality and is marked by betrayal, a horrible accusation, and a money-hungry gypsy.

While each resident has a wonderful story of their own, the book still intertwines everything and it's connection lies with the desk clerk/host with the most and one of the tourists with red hair...which ends with one more fascinating story that ties everything together. After each tale, the clerk keeps asking the red-headed girl questions about what she had just heard. Her answers are amazing and give the book an underlying moral compass that makes it not only an interesting read, but in a way a thought-provoking one too.

I would say Scott Kenemore's venture outside of the zombie sub-genre is a great success and that The Grand Hotel is a grand read! I can't wait to see what he does next and I hope he keeps venturing out into new territories in horror/supernatural writing. With a little something for everyone, there is sure to be at least one story that tickles your fancy. You can pick up your copy on Amazon today by clicking HERE!!!

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